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Knowledge Base: History of the Red Poll Cattle Breed

1

Sep

2009

The Red Poll is derived from the original cattle of Norfolk and Suffolk.

The
Norfolk cow, which was a beef type, frequently blood red in colour (and
described in 1787 as ... "fattening as freely and finishing as highly
at three years old as cattle in general do at four or five") was crossed
with the Suffolk polled bull, from an excellent dairy breed of
predominantly dun coloured cattle (there is a reference in 1732 to the
quality of butter found in Suffolk).

The polled gene in the
Suffolk suppressed the Norfolk horn and in 1863 the name Norfolk and
Suffolk Red Polled cattle was adopted and the first standard description
was agreed in 1873.

The first herd book followed in 1874 (compiled by Mr Henry Euren) and in 1883 the breed became known as "The Red Polled".

The
Red Poll Cattle Society was formed in 1888. The colour of the breed
was by then established as red, preferably deep red, with white touches
only on the tail switch and udder.

With its long traditions of
both dairy and beef qualities, the Red Poll is therefore one of the
original native dual-purpose breeds. In the first half of the last
century it was one of the dominant breeds in English dairy farming, and
despite some subsequent vicissitudes it has maintained the dual-purpose
characteristics which now give the Red Poll such a valuable niche role
in quality beef production.